, 1887-06-29
ACCIDENT OR SUICIDE?
An Old Man Beheaded by a Railroad
Train.
Numerous Theories as to the Cause
of His Death.
Testimony Given and Verdict of the
COrOner's Jury.

The.decapitated body of Frank Schra-
berger presented a horrible yet fascinat.
ing spectacle as it lay beside the railroa adj
track in the east end of the yards here
yesterday morning. 1t foreibly reminded
one of the days when u French revolu-
tlonist's head was removed with such ra-
pidity and nicely that the Qhastly mem
Der would wink and smile as it lay on the
ground. The clothes of the dead man
were but slightly d~isarranged, and even
the face still retained its natural appear
ance.
a Jury consisting of Warren Richard
son, E. G. Kapp, Jas. 81. Jones, John
Onhaus, I. j.. Scott and VIM. Maxwell,
was summoned by Coroner Chafin to in
quire into the causes which led to Frank
Schraberger's death, and returned a YER
dict to the effect that deceased came to
his death by being run over by a portion
of a freight train. and in our belief his
death was purely accidental, and no blame
can be attached to the Union Pacific
Railway company.
The universal opinion of the several
hundred people who viewed the remains
before the body was removed to the
undertaking rooms of the Warren Mer.
camille company was that the dead man
had undoubtedly suicided, and the evil
dence, which is given in full below, pre-
sents nothing to disabuse the popular
belief.
Thomas Kisswetter, n blacksmith em-
ployed in the Union Pacific shops, is a
son In law of the deceased, and has pro-
vided a home for the old man since the
latter's arrival here several years ago.
When asked if he thought the deceased
had intended to XII. himself or was weak
minded or had undergone any treatment
which would induce him to seek death,
MIR. Krswetter replied: No; he had too
much sense to commit suicide
Coroner Chafin said that the man lay
as one asleep On his face, and apparently
had not moved a muscle after being killed.
In his pockets were found a couple of
knives and a tin box containing a small
amount of money.
Only two witnesses were examined at
the coroner inquisition. B. w. Stear
testified as follows: Il reside in Des
Moines, la. L am on my way to Denver,
Col. Came down to the depot this morn
ing, intending to take a freight train from
Cheyenne to Denver, thinking that left
before the passenger train did. While
strolling around the yard, saw deceased
walking in an easterly direction along the
track. | saw him stop beside a freight
train and seemed to be looking down at
the wheels. This was the last of my
noticing him until passing, saw his dead
body under the train, or rather across the
north rail of the track"
H.. W. Sickles was then called and said:
II reside in Des Moines, Iowa. Am on
my way to Denver, Col. | came down
to the depot this morning, intending to
take a freight train to Denver, thinking it
lett before the passenger. and while walk
ing along the track 10 a westerly direc-
ton, saw something between the wheels
of a freight train, which l took to be a
bundle of clothes, but. on closer exami-
nation, it proved to be the body of a man
killed by having had the wheels pass over
his neck. AS sosn as | noticed this 1
notified the brakeman and had the train
stopped, L did not see deceased before
seeing him under tram"
Several railroad men assert that the
dead IA might have been walking along
the track and, being rather deaf, the cars
crept noiselessly upon him and threw
him into the position in which he was
found. Nevertheless, everyone who
knows any of the particulars of the affair,
still maintain that it was a case of deli
berate suicide. Which it was will pro-
badly always remain a mystery, and per-
haps it is as well.
The funeral will take place at 2:3O this
afternoon from the Catholic church.